Well-drilling machine.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

N. D., WELLS WELL DEILLING MACHINE.

By MMM@ ATTORNEYS APPLICATION FILED APR.21I,1906.

rm: nanars arras co., wsumarorvfmc.

No. 871,014. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

, N. D. WELLS.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w/mfssfs; IN1/Emol? gym/V60 ATTORNEYS 1H: Nonms Pneus ca, wnsmnmoy. n. c.

PATENTBD Nov. 12, 1907.

N. D. WELLS.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APILZI, 1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET s.

Y MWA/f@ ATTORNEYS 1 nu: "dams Peten: co., wnsnmarau. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON DOUGLAS WELLS, OF TULSA, INDIAN TERRITORY.

WELL-DRILLING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Applicationled April 2l. 1906. Serial No. 312.983.

convenient actuating of th'e drill-rod at the beginning of the drilling operation by the employment of a spudding device, without the ilse of the walking-beam, and to allow convenient and quick lifting of debris, &c., out of the well, independent of the spudding device and walking-beamA i The invention consists of novel lfeatures and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Views.

Figure Al is a side elevation of the improvement;

Fig. 2 isla cross section of the same, on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improvement; Fig. 4 is al1-enlarged side elevation of the friction-drive for winding up the lifting or sand rope, the section being on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the spudding device; Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of the support for the crank-shaft; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of another modified forni of the same.

On a suitably constructed frame A is adj ustably mounted the frame B of an engine B or similar motor, having its main shaft B2 provided with a pulley C connected by a belt C with a pulley C2 secured on a crankshaft D journaled in suitable bearings carried on the main frame A. The crank-shaft D is connected at its crank-arm D by the usual pitman E with a walkingbeam F, for operating the drill inthe usual manner.

In order to insure a proper connection of the belt C with the pulleys C and C2 it is desirable to adjust the frame B of the engine lengthwise on the frame A, to

hold the belt C taut,and for this purpose a screw G is` preferably employed, abutting with its head against an abutment G secured to and forming part of the main frame A, the screw also screwing in a nut G2 held on the cross-beam B3 of the engine-frame B Thus, when the screw-rod G is turned, the frame B of the engine can be adjusted lengthwise on the main frame A, so as to bring the belt C in taut position, for the proper transmission of the power from the engine to the crank-shaft D. When the desired adjustment of the engine-frame B has been made, then the engine-frame is securely locked in position on the main frame A by suitable bolts B4, as plainly shown in Figs` l and 2.

I At the beginning of the drilling operation the walking-beam F is notused, and instead a drill-rope H is employed, extending over a pulley on the derrick, to

` connect at one end with the drill and to wind up at its other end on a spool or reel I, secured on a shaft I mounted to turn in suitable bearings attached to the main frame A. This drill-rope II is actuated by a spudding device J driven from the crank-shaft D and arranged in such a manner as to impart the desired' movement to the drill-rope H, for the latter to alternately raise and lower the drill-rod, for drilling the well. When the well has been drilled for say about one hundred feet, then the drill-rope H is disconnected from the spudding device and connected with the walking-beam F for drilling the well deeper, in the usual mannen The spudding device .I is arranged as follows: A pulley J engages the drill-rope I'I and is journaled on the free end of a rock-arm J fulcrumed at its lower end at J" on the main frame A. The rock-arm J2 is pivotally connected with the eccentric-rod J4 of an eccentric J5 secured on the crank-shaft D, so that when the latteris rotated the eccentric J5 and its eccentricrod J4 impart a rocking motion to the rock-arm J2, whereby the pulley J alternately pulls and releases the drill-rope H, held stationary at the spool or reel I, and the drilling tools are alternately lifted and dropped, for drilling the well.

As the well is drilled it is necessary to feed out more drill-rope II, and for this purpose the spool or reel I is periodically turned, to unwind more drillrope H, and after the desired amount of drill-rope I-lI has been unwound, the shaft I of the spool I is held against turning, and for this purpose'a suitable brake mechanism is employed, preferably consisting of a brake-wheel K secured on the shaft I and engaged by a brake-band K, fixed at one end and connected at its other end with a lever 1' having a handle K3, under the control of the operator, for applying and releasing the brake-band K.

The spool or reel l is adapted to be periodically driven from the crank-shaft D at the time the-brake mechanism is off, and for this purpose the shaft I is provided with a pulley L, connected by a belt L with a pulley L2, mounted loosely on the crank-shaft D 'and adapted to be connected with the same by a clutch L3, thrown in and out of gear by a lever L4 connected by a link L5 with the brake-lever K2, so that when the operatorrfthrows the brake-handle K3 downward the brake-band K is applied on the wheel K, and at the same time the clutch L: is thrown out of gear, to disconnect the crank-shaft D from the pulley L2. When it is desired to turn the spool or reel I for unwinding some of the drill-rope H, then the operator swings the handle K3 upward and in doing so releases the brake mechanism and at the same time causes the clutch L3 to connect the crank-shaft D with the pulley L2 When this takes place the rotary motion of the crankshaft D is transmitted by the clutch L, pulley L2,

belt L and pulley L to the shaft I/ of the spool or reel I, to unwind a portion of the drill-rope H. When this has been done, then the handle K3 is returned to its normal position, to throw the clutch L3 out of gear and thereby stop the rotation of the spool l, at the same time locking the latter against turningr movement by the application of the brake mechanism. To wind up the drill the clutch is thrown into operative position and the motor reversed.

The hoisting or sand rope N for hoisting debris or other matter out of the well winds on a spool or reel O, having its shaft O/ journaled in bearings O2 and O3, of which the bearing O2 is iixed on the main frame A and the other hearing O3 is in the form of a pivoted arm, mounted to swing on the main frame A. A rod Q4 is pivotally connected with the i bearing O3, to allow oi imparting a swinging motion to the bearing O3, On the shaft O is secured a friction-pulley O5, adapted to be Athrown in engagement either with a friction-pulley OG secured on the crank-shaft D onwith an abutment O7 secured to the main frame A. When the operator pulls on the rod 0*, the pulley O5 is moved in frictional contact with the pulley O6, to drive the shaft O and the spool O from the shaft D, to wind up the rope N, and when the rod OL is pushed from the right to the left, then the pulley O5 is moved in engagement with the abutment O7, to bring the shaft O and the reel O quickly to a standstill, Thus, by the operator manipulating the rod O4, the spool or reel O can be quickly actuated, with a view to Wind up the lifting-rope N or to stop the rotation of the spool after the lifting operation has been completed.

The modified form of spudding device shown in Fig. 5 consists essentially of an eccentric P, secured on the crank-shaft D, and the eccentricstra-p Pf of this eccentric is mounted on ball-bearings P2 and the strap is in the form of a pulley, for the passage of a rope P3 having loops P4 and P5 at its ends, of which the loop P4 is hung onto the spool I while the loop P5 engages the drill-rope H. When the shaft D is rotated the eccentric P imparts the desiredinotiontolthe rope P3, to actuate the drill-rope H, 'for raising and lowering the drilling tools. lf desired, the loop P4 may also be engaged with the drill-rope H, when it is desired to give less stroke to the drill-rope H.

The bearings for the crank-shaft D may be of any approved construction, such, 'for instance, as indicated in Fig. l, Fig. 6 or Fig. 7, but it is evident that l do not limit myself to any one of the particular constructions shown, the same can be varied Without deviating from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A \vell'drilling machine comprising a walking beam, a drill-rope, a spool for the same, a crank-shaft for connection with the Walking-beam, a spudding device actuated from the said crank-shaft and connected with the said drill-rope, a brake mechanism connected with the said spool, to hold the latter against turning, and a driving device for unwinding the drill rope from the said spool, conA nected with the said crank-shaft, the said driving device having a clutch operating in conjunction with the said brake mechanism.

2. A well drilling machine, comprising a walking beam,

a crank shaft for connection with the walking beam, a friction Wheel on the crank shaft, aspool for a hoist rope, a friction disk on the spool, said spool being movable toward and from the crank shaft whereby to move the friction disk into and out of contact with the friction wheel, a spool for a drill rope, a connection between said spool and the crank shaft for.' operating said spool, a brake mechanism on the spool shaft, and a link connection between the brake mechanism and the hoist rope spool,` whereby the operation of the braking mechanism will move the hoist rope spool toward and from the crank shaft.

3. A well drillingmachine, comprising a walking-beam, a crank shaft for connection with the walking-beam, a spool for a hoisting rope, means for connecting the spool to the crank shaft, a spool for a drill rope, a connection between said spool and the crank shaft for operating said spool, a brake mechanism in connection with the spool, and a link connection between the brake mechanism and the hoisting` rope spool, whereby the operation of the braking mechanism Will operate the means for connecting the hoisting rope spool with the crank shaft.

4. A well drillingl machine, comprisingl a walking-beam, a crank shaft for connection with the walking beam, a friction wheel on the crank shaft, a spool for a hoisting rope. a friction disk on the spool, said spool being movable toward and. from the crank shaft whereby to move the friction disk into and out of Contact with the friction wheel, a spool for a drill rope, a connection between said spool and the crank shaft for operating said spool, braking mechanism on the spool shaft, and means whereby the operation of the braking mechanism will move the hoist rope spool toward and from the crank shaft. v

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this spociiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NELSON DOUGLAS WELLS.

Witnesses Roni. COBB, Jr., W. T. BAInD. 

